OK, just curious which knife y'all like best for skinning and processing deer. Thanks in advance.

bludog

Knife? Singular? Nope.

A small thin blade like the KOA Jaeger hunter is good for gutting/skinning and separating joints. I like a dedicated boning knife. I like a super slicer for cutting steaks and making jerky. I have a "different" technique for slicing chops and removing silver skin, this can be a knife I also use for slicing steaks/jerky. Sometimes I use a fish filet knife for boning and separating joints. I nice Japanese chef knife is great for cutting up pork shoulder into chunks that fit in the grinder when making burger and sausage.

Good boning knife: https://www.ebay.com/itm/CHICAGO-CUTLERY-6-FULLY-FORGED-STAINLESS-STEEL-BONING-KNIFE-FREE-SHIPPING/362329119078?hash=item545c7f9966:g:MYwAAOSwLq5bBcyE

I kill and process 4-5 deer/year and appreciate having decent knives to do the work and the product is also much better. Buy the best you can afford for decent knives and each year add to them.

Thanks, that's kinda what I've been doing over the years. I usually end up using several knives as well, just wondering what others have found really useful.

Skinning - I’ll skin and debone hanging with a Winston.

Processing for the freezer - wenger or victorinox “venting” knife. Thin and sharp.

My favorite for the 4-6 animals I process each year is an F.Dick 5 in, semi-flexible boning knife. I don't see the exact model shown on the F.Dick website. Here's the stiff version: https://www.knifemerchant.com/product.asp?productID=7641

When skinning I use two knives, a sharp pointed knife for cutting the hide, usually my pocket folder, and a second knife with lots of belly. Vast majority of the skinning is done by pulling and pushing a fisted thumb.

I have used an ESEE Izula, 440c for the past three years, for most of it, and a custom Johnson some too.

This works for hanging deer. A folder in the field.

I like a 110 because like Boise was saying, it has a fine point for starting cuts in the hide plus enough belly to be good for cutting off what hide you can't pull off. Also like a trapper pattern pocket knife for the same reason....you have a pointed blade and a round blade in one package. I'll use either of those to "butcher" a deer which to me means gutting, skinning, and quartering. Like almost any rifle can be a deer rifle, most any knife can be a deer "hunting knife" as long as its sharp and feels good in your hand. Total matter of taste.

For the boning and trimming process, I've got a small tool box full of various boning and fillet knives that I'll use for that.....some Dexters, an Uncle Henry I got for Christmas back in the day, a Rapala, even a few Chinese mystery knives that aren't bad. Don't know that I paid for any of em......people give me knives for some reason.

This is a handy kit here, Howe mountain combo, lite hunter, Wyoming skinner. The Wyoming skinner is one cool bad bitch..
image hosting over 2mb

I started out with this old Carbon Steel clunker and then moved up to a couple of Buck Knives.

I have a few others that cost a lot more and look cooler but those old warriors have never left me feeling "underknifed".

Little Dumplin is pretty handy. A stockman works pretty good in the field.

For in the field, a nice drop point with about a 3.5" to 4.25" inch blade is hard to beat for
gutting, skinning and quartering.
But back home I operate about the same as several noted above. I might have any selection of 3 or 4
quite different knives for meat processing.
A butcher knife, a boner and a small bird and trout are a pretty good combo for making meat.
But, to each his own..........
Tim

It's funny how so many seem to have settled on the same kind of gear as we have for the different tasks. For deboning, we'll use field knives and kitchen knives, whatever works. My knives seem to dull pretty quickly when caping/deboning.

Best I've had has been a S30v Benchmade wife got me a couple of years ago.

I have used the Havalon Piranta for caping after the heavy gutting/cleaning work is completed, and had pretty good luck. But it is definitely one-dimensional IMO. I'm considering a 154CM blade after getting an EDC with that steel last year and being very impressed.

Thanks for the replies.

PS-Mich, I am a drop point fan for my field blades.

Before i started having knives made, i used the spyderco Moran drop point. Have 3 or
4. To me the best factory skinner made. Nice and thin. Plenty of belly.

last year I used several different knives for processing. The ones that felt worked best were customs by Rick Menefee and Tim Olt. My old Randall #11 Alaskan Skinner is still as good as it gets.

Dexter Russell 6" boning knives... figure that's what a lot of guys that cut meat for a living use. For a field-dressing knife I use an old Russell Green River Works wooden handled boning knife. Easy to sharpen, takes a shaving edge and inexpensive. What's not to like? I've got a sheath that I bought for a quarter at a garbage sale that fits it like it was made for it. If I lose it or it gets stolen from my truck I'm out less than $10.
In the fur shed I've got several old paring knives and old half worn out butcher knives that I've snapped 2"-3" off the end of their blades to shorten them. Reprofile them and they make good fur knives. Mostly old carbon steel brands like Old Hickory though there is a no name, cheap, molded handle, stainless blade paring knife that is good 'coon skinning knife... the little 4" wooden handle Rapala fillet knives are good too.

Nothin' fancy here.

Buck 110 for gutting and skinning.

6" Dexter Flexible Boning knife for quartering and boning.

Bucks for gutting 303,skinning 118 and for boning a121

I used to think folks were more than dumb for spending $200+ for a knife, now all my pards got em, courtesy of me, and I got a drawer full of em..... it’s nice being able to bone/gut/cape a couple/few bucks without worrying about sharpin em...

You don't know what you don't know, till you do know.

The pair of Ingrams above I have been using for about 14 years.

I always thought having to touch up a knife while skinning was just the way it was. I didn't like carrying something to sharpen with or having to stop to do it. Then I saw a guy breeze through a couple deer with a Dozier. I've been on the custom band wagon ever since. The combos are hard to beat. A boning knife is nice to have if you'll be processing as well.

That’s a fact!!

And ignorance is fine, we are all ignorant. It's when people tell others, based on their ignorance, that the problems arise. That's what we call stupid and I see it daily on the 'Fire.

Just dropped $225 on a nice 5-3/4” filet blade by Rick Nowland. Couldn’t locate a Menefee in same, but Vince gave me a deal on this he had in stock...As stated...Small price to pay for work made easy in the field or kitchen with good, sharp blades. 😎

6.5 Creedmoor. The deer literally skin and gut themselves after being shot.

Very nice mark....your coming around!! Grin

Slowly....😜

Skinning ..... The Grohmann #1 belt knife or similar with quality steel. This style knife is second to none as a field knife and for skinning.
Processing ..... Any decent 6" stiff blade boning knife is perfect for cutting up deer. I like a longer 10" steak knife as well for the same task.

The old C/S Grohmann in the middle is flanked by two Bark River Knives. The top CDN has had the handle modified to be similar to the Grohmann in shape. The bottom Barky makes a good field knife for dressing deer but would not make a good skinner. The current Grohmann SS knives are not as good knives as the Barks for steel quality.

I lik those top 2 . Have to see if dale has a pattern for one

Here's what I use at home for the processing.

Who is "Dale"?

Dale Howe

My preferences are from my workshop:

For skinning:


For quartering or boning out:


or


All are CPM-154 stainless.

My processing tools are old hand me downs.

This makes quick work on legs and whatnot...😎

That’s sweet!

I guess that's one way to do it. No place for me to plug it in on the mountain so I just find the joint, ring it with my knife and pop the lower leg off. Takes less than ten seconds.

I agree, you would look pretty stupid packing it around in the woods, even if it was battery operated....😎

I'm going to start looking for some older carbon steel kitchen knives on the big auction site. For those guys that posted pictures here, or those use that type of knife, are there any makers that are standouts in terms of edge holding?

Thanks.

Frank

^^^THIS^^^

I've got a battery powered Milwaukee.

I Wilson Sheffield.

Herder Solingen are also very good and worth owning, they generally have a "spade" stamped on blade or inletted into handle.

FG,
There is almost nothing better for working up meat than several 50-60 year old carbon steel knives...Easy peasy to put a razors edge on them with no effort...I bought 6 new carbon butchering knives couple years ago... They’re okay. But, they need to age another 20 years before they turn into an Heirloom knife...They’re getting close with the pantina “rust” build up already starting...Most of my serious butchering blades and bone saws are like yours that were handed down from grandpa to my dad and now me...😎

Russell Green River Works.

Dexter, Chicago cutlery.

So I take it you're a fan of CPM-154? It's on my list to try.

I have a CPM 154 boning knife that Dale Atkerson made for me. I like the steel a lot. It's easy to live with and takes a lot of use and abuse. I have other smaller CPM 154 folders that do not see near as much use and they're good, but I can't speak to their durability. This boning knife is stiff. Zero flex. It's me favorite knife for fileting some fish and boning out deer. Try it sooner rather than later.

I'm a Grohmann DH Russell #1 fan...

I like that pattern have to try one..

Brad, somethings missing from your pic...Hmmm. Maybe a 308? 😎

That has changed over time. I have 3 niches.

1) "Inside work" ... this is cutting loose the diaphragm and the anus. I like a short folding lock-blade knife. My preference for 20+ years has been a Gerber LST with a blade slightly over 2 inches sharpened razor sharp. I haven't budged from this and I don't expect to.

2) "Field dressing" .. I bundle throat cutting, skinning, quartering, rough boning, and removal of lower legs, all of those steps needed to bag meat for attachment to a pack frame for pack-out, in this. I have used many larger knives over the year, but in the spirit of saving weight, I bought a Benchmark "Steep Country" last year and I think it is going to be my long term answer. I also got a Cold Steel pendleton lite hunter which may supplement it.

In the past I've used a Buck General, Gerber LMF, Gerber LST magnum folder, and Buck Vanguard. I think the "Steep Country" will send them all out to retirement.

3) "Processing" ... this is kitchen work, boning, cutting strips for grinder or jerky, and slicing steaks. I like the Gerber LMF best ... mine is a first generation version which looks like the "Steadfast" does now, not the current version.

I have a few new toys to further work into rotation. I picked up a Cold Steel master hunter. This may replace the LMF completely. May get the #2 nod when it's elk instead of deer on the menu. We'll see. I also have a couple of Buck "pack lite" knives I carry in my hunting pack as backups in case I somehow lose or damage my primary knife. They're light, small, and sharp.

Tom

I got one of those sometime around 1990... its best use is chopping broccoli, and it’s not very good at that.

Most overrated knife I’ve ever seen.

I had the Grohmann DH Russell #1 and really liked it for skinning, but it was stolen. I picked up a couple of the cheap Cold Steel copies. Have not skinned a deer with one yet, but the steel appears to be very good. Takes a wicked edge and holds it well. My Buck 110 folder works well as well as my #118 Personal Knife. The very best skinner I have is a McGoogh, an odd looking knife bought in Bastrop, Louisiana, many years ago at a craft sale. If I can figure out how to post a picture on this forum I will post a picture of my McGoogh. I have never seen or heard of another McGoogh. Supposed to be made of old saw mill blades. Takes an edges and holds it until it thunders.

Can someone explain to me how to post a picture?

Link

Thanks JStewart. Will work on that later today. Been up to long now.

I dont use any fancy knives but have had very good luck using simple Scandinavian knives. The top three knives work great sharpen great and hold their edge well. The drop point ( second one down) is a great all around knife for hunting. The old buck 110 and small folding Chicago cutlery knives are usually with me on my hunts. I think is good to have two knives with you in the field anyway. After all these years reading on here I am getting the urge to get a good custom knife but it's all I own for now. I skin and debone elk and deer now in the field ( because we can register our deer in the field now in MN). So my hunting knives are my processing knives also.





The carbon steel Mora on top
Then 2 fiskars/normarks
A small Chicago cutlery hunting folder
And the trusty 110 buck

Kirk

I like that. I use a custom ingram with a 4" blade for processing but I would like a little bit longer blade sometimes.

Is that blade very flexible?

Older Buck 110 gutting, Forschner Cutting them up, different mix match skinning cutting off lower front legs etc.

The Buck 118 Personal has worked well for me for years.

Haven't used it yet but I just bought a 118 in D2. I think it will perform pretty well as double duty skinning/processing knife.

By no means "the best", but it is my current favourite play thing.

Behring...note that whoever hafts them must have small hands as I found it needful to plait around the handle behind the guard to make it comfortable to hold and to stop twisting under pressure.






added, it may not interest anyone but I have found that Emu oil, derived from the fat of our native bird does a very good job of keeping rust away from the blade and seems to keep the stag in good nick...plus it is edible and doesn't stink.